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Harvest a deer? Better get it checked for chronic wasting disease
KSL News • • health
Key Points:
- Utah officials are requesting successful deer hunters to stop at check stations during fall hunts to test for chronic wasting disease (CWD), which affects deer, elk, and moose.
- Chronic wasting disease causes brain lesions and neurological symptoms, ultimately leading to death, but infected animals may appear healthy in early stages, making testing essential.
- The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources uses data from check stations to monitor CWD and protect deer populations, with 435 mule deer and 11 elk testing positive so far, mainly in northeastern and southeastern Utah.
- Hunters who harvest deer showing symptoms like extreme thinness, circling behavior, or excessive saliva are urged to have their animals tested by regional technicians.
